This is a collection of extremely rare 78s recorded by the New York Recording Laboratories for release on its Broadway and Paramount labels in the late '20s and centers around banjo player Bill Haid and his various groups, who recorded under a number of monikers including the Black Pirates, the Manhattan Entertainers, the Castle Farm Serenaders, and Bill Haid's Cubs. There are some wonderful pieces here, like the half-paced version of "Slue Foot," but much of it is fairly generic dance music of the time. The sound quality is also a problem, ranging from passable to awful depending on the track, making this archival release of interest to only collectors and historians. ~ Steve Leggett